Letters to the Editor | Jan. 12, 2025

It is so cynically comical to me that both Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu blame the media, play the victim, and deflect questions and criticisms about their alleged crimes. These tactics are obviously employed to focus our attention elsewhere and on others. Charged with falsifying business records, subverting the election, and keeping classified documents, Trump manufactured distractions like “immigrant crime” to divert attention away from himself. Netanyahu, charged with bribery, fraud, and breach of trust, and who gave preferential treatment to a newspaper publisher in return for positive coverage and accepted $300,000 worth of gifts, is defensive and is striking out against all the witnesses and newspapers who are presenting the evidence of his alleged crimes. Hundreds of witnesses, meetings, phone calls, and documents are all there to be examined. I am hoping justice will prevail and Netanyahu will not be another corrupt and wealthy politician to evade accountability and be above the law.

Judy Rubin, Philadelphia

After reading a recent op-ed on bike lanes, I felt I needed to weigh in. I live in Cherry Hill, and I visit many friends on Spruce and Pine Streets in both Society Hill and Rittenhouse Square. I have multiple sclerosis and limited mobility on most days. My question to cyclists is: Would it be so hard to stop for a minute, check for oncoming traffic, and then go around a stopped car, as any other vehicle would do? Why must they be allowed to fly through spaces people need to use for short periods of time for myriad reasons? Consideration is not a one-way street

Valarie Costanzo, Cherry Hill

On New Year’s Day, my wife and I watched the Mummers Parade on TV, and many of the performers released confetti as part of their show. There were thousands of people watching the parade, some standing on the street and many in the office buildings along the parade route. The next day, my lovely wife came home from her job in Center City and commented on the cleanliness of the streets around City Hall. My wife’s observation underlined a city service many Philadelphians take for granted. I have lived here all my life, and I cannot remember a week when the Department of Sanitation failed to pick up my trash, and in recent years, my recyclables, as well. The department’s industrious employees, who cleaned up after the Mummers Parade and who pick up our trash and recyclables each week — often in challenging weather conditions — make our city and neighborhoods safer and our lives easier.

Tom Garrity, Philadelphia

I’m glad Mayor Cherelle L. Parker is making a concerted effort to clean our streets, calling it “a proactive strategy to address chronic quality-of-life issues.” Unfortunately, she might also be causing health issues. A photo accompanying the report on the mayor’s progress showed workers using gas-powered leaf blowers. The operators pictured were not using ear protection, so their hearing was being compromised along with that of the innocent pedestrians or homeowners nearby.

The blowers also disperse toxins like carbon monoxide and formaldehyde from unburned fuel. They spread dangerous particulate matter. While particulate matter may be nearly invisible, it can cause lung and heart problems. One study found women’s risk for developing dementia nearly doubled when particulate matter exceeded EPA recommendations. Operating a gas-powered leaf blower for an hour burns energy comparable to driving a car 1,100 miles, according to the California Air Resources Board, which may be why California has outlawed the machines. Support Quiet Clean Philly’s efforts to protect our health and enjoy a quieter city by banning gas-powered leaf blowers in Philadelphia.

Sandra Folzer, Philadelphia

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